What Makes Tigé the Best Surf Boat? One Owner’s 10-Year Journey

In our latest Owner Spotlight, lifelong boater Wyatt Mortensen shares why his family chooses Tigé as the best surf boat for luxury, performance, and quality. Over a decade of owning models like the Z3, 23RZX, and 23ZX, Wyatt highlights how Tigé's clean waves and comfortable interiors laid the foundation for his family's memories and his future career.

Raised on a Tigé

Recent high school graduate Wyatt Mortensen has spent most of his life on the water. Growing up with a small lake house on Seminoe Reservoir in Wyoming, some of his favorite memories started the same way: early mornings, glassy water, and a Tigé ready to hit the lake.

“When you wake up, and the sun is starting to warm up the sand dunes, fishermen are heading out to their secret spots, and the lake is glass, you know it’s going to be a perfect day,” Wyatt says.

For Wyatt, boating has always been about more than the ride. It is about the time spent with family, the conversations between sets, and the memories made along the way. For more than a decade, a Tigé has been at the center of those moments.

A Lake Built for Memories

Wyatt’s favorite surf days start early, when the lake is calm, and there is no shortage of space to enjoy it. Being the first surf boat out on the water is one of his favorite parts of the day.

“Being the first one out and getting the boat going is the best,” Wyatt says. “I love the sound of the launch splash and the motor coming to life.”

His family follows the same surf routine every time they hit the lake. Wyatt usually gets the first run of the day, dialing in the wave for his mom, who also rides goofy. From there, the day is filled with music, conversations, sibling banter, and as much time on the water as possible.

Afternoons bring cliff jumping, swimming, beaching the boat, meeting other boaters, and helping new riders learn along the way. As the sun sets, the day winds down with one final cruise until the cooler runs dry and the towels are soaked.

The Boats That Built Him

The family’s first Tigé was a custom 2015 Z3, purchased when Wyatt was eight years old. The reason his family chose Tigé came down to one simple thing: quality.

“The fit and finish was, and still is, the best of all the surf boats,” Wyatt says. “You can’t find a better interior or a more comfortable ride.”

The family continued with a 2018 23RZX, which became the boat behind one of Wyatt’s favorite memories. During a trip to Lake Powell, surrounded by towering canyon walls and crystal-clear water, Wyatt learned to drop the rope for the first time.

“I kept saying ‘one more time!’ until my parents finally had to drag me out of the water,” he says. “The only reason we stopped was that the boat needed fuel.”

The RZX delivered the performance his family expected. It created clean, powerful waves while taking them places they never would have experienced without it.

Today, the family owns a 2021 23ZX purchased through Germaine Marine in Utah. They spend most weekends on the water, with a few weekday evenings added whenever possible. Their current home lake is Yellowtail/Bighorn Reservoir on the Wyoming-Montana border, a canyon-carved lake with towering walls and some of the warmest water in the region.

More Than a Boat

For Wyatt, the value of a Tigé goes far beyond the hours spent surfing. It represents time together, the conversations that happen when everyone is in the same place, and the memories built between one ride and the next.

“Some families have their most critical conversations around the dinner table,” Wyatt says. “For me, those conversations happened on our Tigé.”

When asked what his Tigé would say if it could talk, Wyatt’s answer was simple: it would probably keep quiet.

“It wouldn't say much. It likes being in the circle of trust,” he jokes.

Their boat represents time together, but it also represents responsibility. “Ownership is more than launching and docking. It is maintenance, safety checks, post-lake clean-up, and preservation.”

Those lessons learned on the water helped shape the person Wyatt became and eventually influenced his decision to serve in the United States Coast Guard. Growing up around water taught him to be prepared, look out for others, and step in when someone needs help.

“When you grow up on the water, you are inevitably going to end up in situations that require action,” Wyatt says. “From helping a fellow boater to assisting a tired swimmer, boating builds character and responsibility.”

What the Water Taught Him

If Wyatt could give advice to a kid growing up on the lake today, he would keep it simple: “Be brave enough to be bad at something new. Safety first. Check the fuel, check the oil, and most importantly...make sure the plug is in.”

Ten years from now, Wyatt hopes he will still be doing what he loves: spending time on the water, making memories with family, and eventually owning a Tigé of his own.

Looking back, he knows how fortunate he was to grow up the way he did. His Tigé was never just a wake boat. It was where lessons were learned, friendships were strengthened, and memories were made.

For Wyatt, growing up on the water was more than a childhood; it was a foundation. And a Tigé was at the center of it all.